Well casing cap



Dec. 4, 1945.

w. RUBLY WELL CASING GAP Filed March 22, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 VENTOE,

w. RUBLY WELL CASING CAP Filed March 22, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M: van TOR, Will/4m rub/ mum Ai'ior'ne Patented Dec. 4; 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELL CASING CAP William Rubly, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application March 22, 1944, Serial No. 527,661

' 1 Claim. (01. 285-21) This invention relates to means for capping well casings, particularly in such installations where pipes extendthrough the cap into the casing as would be the case when an ejector type pump is used. In ejector pump installations, it is the common practice to employ two pipes of different diameters, one a pressure pipe and the other a discharge pipe, to connect with the ejector nozzle down inside of the casing. The weight of both pipes and the nozzle is carried by the well cap. Considerable difficulty has been encountered in providing a water tight seal at the upper end of the casing to prevent entrance of surface water. Generally, the casing has to be cut off after it is driven or sunk into the ground, and the cut surface is almost without exception uneven due to the fact that it has to be cut down in a pit below the level of the ground. The nozzle connecting pipes carried Within the casing have to be made up to the lengths required to correctly position the nozzle in respect to the water level. Not only must a seal be had between the well cap and the casing, but also between the cap and the nozzle connecting pipes. To permit easy connections of the delivery and pressure pipes, tolerance must initially be provided in the cap openings through which these pipes pass. Also it has been necessary to'pro vide a union in each of the pipes, whereas by use of my invention but one union is necessary, and it may be located above the well cap.

By use of my invention, an external seal about the outer face of the top end of the casing and the under face of the cap is had whereby unevenness of the top end of the casing does not interfere with the seal. Also, by use of my in-- vention, the weight of the pipe and nozzle assembly will tend to maintain a seal about at least one of the pipes where it passes through the cap, while the seal about the other pipe is also made from the top side of the cap where it may be readily worked upon and kept under observation.

A further advantage of my invention is found in the fact that after all of the pipe connections are made and tested, the cap may then be sealed without any interference of the pipes or further adjustment thereof.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of one "particular form of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in central vertical section through a structure embodying the invention.

. over.

Fig. 2 a similar view in section embodying the invention in conjunction with the use of smaller diameter pipes than those indicated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 a top plan view of the well cap.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

With different sizes and capacities of pumps. different sizes of pipes will be used. Referring to Fig. 1 for the size'of casing which I show, the maximum size possible of pipes II and I2 is shown, these sizes being limited to the sizes that may be inserted within the casing H] to carry the necessary coupling fittings of the nozzle (not shown) with which the pipes interconnect. A cap plate I3 is formed to rest across the upper end of the casing l9 and extend outwardly therefrom by an under sealing face 14 extending annularly around the outside of the casing 19. Preferably the underside of the plate I3 is formed with a boss [5 which will drop down inside the casing ill to center the plate l3 there- The plate I 3 is provided with a pair of spaced apart holes I6 and H therethrough to receive freely the pipes II and I2, the pipe II in the present showing constituting the delivery pipejand being of a larger diameter than the pipe I2 which constitutes the pressure pipe. The

holes l6 and l! are on a common diameter line have their marginal walls outwardly flared or bevelled as indicated in Fig. 1. The pipe II is made up to have a coupling [8 positioned with its under end at the top side of the plate I3. The pipe [2 is made up to have a length extending above the plate I3, whereb the final connection may be made through any suitable union above the plate l3, such union being herein shown as of that type known as a Dresser coupling l9. After the pipes H and [2 have been made up and tested, a sealing ring 20 is placed around the pipe II, and a sealing ring 2| is placed around the pipe l2, to enter into the tapered counter-bore of each of'the holes l6 and I1. These seal rings 20 and 2| may be made out of any suitable material, such as soft lead. The weight of the system carried by the pipe II will carry the coupling collar [8 downwardly against the ring 2|] to force it down into the bevelled portion of the hole [6 and permits some of the ring to even flow downwardly around the pipe within the hole Hi. The ring 2| may be forced to intimate contact between the bevelled portion of the hole I! and the outer face of the pipe I2 by any suitable means, such as by caulking.

A clamp ring 22 completely encircles the casing II] under the plate I3 and is suspended therefrom by means of a plurality of bolts 23, herein shown as 4 in number. This collar 22 carries an annular recess therein adjacent to the wall of casing I0. An elastic gasket 24 is mounted within this recess to extend completely around in a continuous ring about the outside of the casing I0. This gasket 24 may be made out of any suitable material, such as rubber or synthetic rubber so that it may be adapted to conform to slightuneven surfaces and flow somewhat under pressure. The clamp ring 22 is drawn upwardly toward the plate I3 by means of the nuts 25 on the bolts 23 to compress the gasket 24 both inwardly against the casing I and upwardly against the face I4 of the plate I3 so as to seal across the junction between the casing I0 and the plate I3. The gasket 24 is preferably made to have a considerable cross section in relation to the thickness of the casing wall, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, so that there will be an appreciable area of contact not only with the underside of the plate I3, but also along the upper end of the outside face of the casing I0. Thus a seal is effected between the casing I0 and the plate I3 by means of the gasket 24 and also the rings 20 and 2| to form a seal from the top side of the plate I3 around the respective pipes II and I2. 7

In Fig. 2 smaller pipes 26 and 21 are employed with the same'cap plate I3. To do so, metal collars 28 and 29 are dropped respectively into the holes I6 and Il. These collars 28 and 29 are outwardly flared by theirtop ends to conform very closely with the shape of the holes, the flares on Thus by providing the cap plate I3 with the maximum sizes of holes I6 and I1, the same plate may be employed throughout a wide range of smaller pipes. By means of the use of this provision one size of plate I3 may be carried in stock for the particular size of casing III, and then a number of different sizes of bushings 2 8 and 29 may be carried in stock to accommodate the different sizes of pipes that ma be employed within that size of casing I0.

As indicated in Fig. 3 the cap plate I3 is'provided with the usual hole 32 from which a vent pipe is normally carried upwardly above the level of any surface Water. Also, the plate I3 is provided with projecting lugs 33 about which chains or wrenches may be engaged to turn the plate I3 in aligning the pipes II and I2 circumferentially around the casing I0.

While I have herein shown my invention in one particular form, it is obvious that structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I, therefore, do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claim.

I claim: 7

For sealing a casing having a straight external wall end portion and supporting a pair of drop pipes, one of which at least carries acoupling collar, and both connecting to a common member suspended by the pipes within the casing, a plate to rest directly upon the upper end of the casing and extend laterally therebeyond; said plate having a pair of holes to receive said pipes there through, centered and spaced apart on a common diameter of the plate; both of said plate holes having their marginal walls outwardly flaring at the top side of the plate; a clamp ring sl'dable along the casing under said plate; an elastic sealing ring between said plate. casing, and ring; means for compressing thering between the plate and ring; and a flowable sealing ring in the flared ends of each of said plate holes; whereby said coupling of the one pipe ma rest on the sealing ring around it tending to force that ring downwardly into the space between the pipe and the said pipes.

WILLIAM RUBLYC 

